Hey all, Been reading a few posts on these forums for the past few weeks to get some background knowledge but wanted to make an account to ask you guys myself since there's a lot of good info here. I'm looking into purchasing a 2006 prius (up to 08 if I have to) with leather and the upgraded sound system. Basically the top trim. Prices for these range from 4-6k asking with mileage ranging from 100k-150k but generally somewhere in the middle. I've heard that these cars are very reliable and unexpected repairs are not often but they can be expensive when they are needed. I'm not buying this car because it's all I can afford, It'll be my daily driver and I'm trying to keep costs as low as I can get them without giving up on reasonable luxuries. I've been buying used cars for quite some time but they've all been gasoline driven and mostly performance cars. I understand very well how getting a PPI can help mitigate getting a lemon or a car that'll need frequent repairs down the road. I plan on doing the same with each prius I check out. I've got a list of a few big things to get checked including the battery/hv pack and the engine burning oil. I also am quite particular about collecting maintenance records and not going for vehicles that don't have any as timely maintenance is 90% of the reason a car can keep going for miles and miles. I wanted to know, from those of you that have owned 06-09 gen2 priuses, what are some other common things I should have checked out when I take these vehicles in for an inspection? What are the big expensive repairs I should look out for? And what would you recommend as far as preventative maintenance on a hybrid like this? AND assuming I get a good condition vehicles with no red flags after having it inspected before purchasing (making sure to check out the things you guys tell me to look out for), how many miles can I expect out of the prius if it already has say 150k? Could I expect to get 100k more miles out of it or would I struggle to make it to 200k reasonably? Also, I've got a GREAT, trustworthy mechanic who has told me himself that he's not an expert in hybrid and electric vehicles but he knows enough to take a look at it and offer me his honest opinion if I don't know someone who specializes in hybrids. If anyone is in the Massachusetts area, do you know of a mechanic with good knowledge of hybrids or these priuses that I can have check out these vehicles? Thanks a bunch!
Here's a good thread to answer most of your questions... There's some people in this thread that do what you do... Did you buy a Prius with 100K+ miles? Share your story here! | PriusChat
Two kinds of Gen2 owners: Those that have replaced the HV battery and those that will. The other big ticket item: electric brake pump. The inverter pump often goes out but is relatively cheap service item. GOOD LUCK!
welcome! in 15 years, i don't recall ever having heard of a good hybrid shop in the boston metro area. the problem with answering any of your questions is that we only deal in averages. i would say you have a better than 50% chance of not having a major problem over the next 100k, but that leaves a lot of room for some serious expenses, most especially for the non diy'er. all prius expenses can be mitigated by someone willing to learn and take on the task themself, along with a decent supply of salvage parts. all the best!
This is a VERY helpful thread, although it died for a few years... it seems to be have some posts from 2018/2019 so THANK YOU! I'm in Massachusetts I'll keep an eye out for those, thanks a bunch! I'm no mechanic but I do many routine maintenance items on cars myself when necessary. I looked into how to change the prius battery and I could definitely do something like that in 60-90 mins with hand tools I've got lying around. If I can find a tutorial or a youtube video for it, I'm all for fixing it... as long as I don't have to drop too many major components of the car.
Although not meant as a tutorial, the link in my signature shows what I went through in first repairing my 2006 HV battery but then eventually replacing it with a new one. TLDR: If you want a reliable vehicle, which the prius is known for, get new modules (cells) when the time comes. FWIW
